Harvester-elevator.



Patented July 3 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

W. H. CRANE.

HARVESTER ELEVATOR.

APPLicATxoN FILED JULY s1. 1916. 1,232,229,

INVENTOR:

TTYS

W. H. CRANE.

HARVESTER ELEVATOR,

APPLICATION FILED JuLY 31. 1916.

1,232,229. Patented July `3, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- INVENTQR:

, ATTvs STATES AEN hlflllQE.

WILLIAM H. CRANE, 0F POUGHKEEPSIE, NEW YORK, kASSIGNOR TO MOLINE PLOW I COMPANY, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

HARVESTER-ELEVATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3, i917.

Application led July 31, 1916. Serial No. 112,210.

To all 'whom t may concern: c

Be it known that I, 1l/`V:II .LIAM H. CRANE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Poughkeepsie, in the county of Dutchess and State of New York, have rinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Harvester Elevators, of which the following is a speciiication, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invention relates to the graincarrier or elevatorI mechanism of harvesters, which receives the grain from the platform conveyer and elevates 'it to the binding mechanism, such elevator mechanism comprising usually a lower inclined grain carrier in the form of any endless carrier apron passing at its ends around upper and lower carrier rolls mounted in a lower elevator frame, and an upper carrier apron passing around upper and lower carrier rolls mounted re-` spectively in the upper and lower ends of an upper elevatorframe, the grain from the platform conveyer being delivered be-` tween the lower ends of the two carrier aprons and being elevated thereby and discharged at their upper ends to thebinder deck. y

My invention is directed particularly to the support for the lower carrier roll of the upper carrier apron, to enable the roll to be moved to and from the upper carrier roll in order to regulate the tension of the apron, and to enable the lower carrier roll to move away from the lower grain carrier in order to prevent the lodgment or clogging of the grain between the lower ends of the two carrier aprons.

ln accordance with my invention the lower carrier roll forthe ripper' apron is journaled in supporting arms of improved form and construction, mounted in an improved manner on the upper elevator frame so as to swing back and forth relatively thereto to and from the lower grain carrier, the arms being capable also of an endwise movement relatively to the frame, which movements are controlled and actuated by a suitable actua ting device mounted in the frame and engaging the arms.

ln the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is an elevation of the lower por tion of the upper carrier apron, the latter being broken away to expose the elevator frame, the lower carrier roll, and ltheiarms in which said kroll is ournaled.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional elevation on an enlarged scale taken on the line 2 2- of Fig. l, showing the relative position of the lower grain carrier and the platform conveyer, the carrier roll suliporting-arms being shown in their lower position to maintain tension on the apron.

Fig. 3 is a similar view with the lower grain carrier and platform conveyer omitted, the supporting arms being shown in their upper position to relieve the carrier apron of tension.

F ig. 4L is a sectional elevation on the line 4l-el of Fig. 5 showing the spring actuated ,member for urging the movable carrier roll toward the lower grain carrier.

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation on the line 5 5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an edge view of the Lipper elevator frame with its upper and lower carrier rolls and the carrier apron supported thereby.

Referring to the drawings:

l indicates the lower portion of the lower grain carrier consisting of an endless car` rier apron 2 passing at its lower end around a lower carrier roll 3 and at its upper end around an upper carrier rollv (not shown) the said rolls being mounted as usual in the lower elevator frame (not shown) g and 4 indicates the platform conveyer by which the grain is conveyed to the elevator mechanism. c

5 indicatesthe upper elevator frame consisting as usual of the two end bars 5, which frame is supported in the customary manner from the main frame of the harvester', in inclined position over the lower carrier apron. An upper carrier roll 6 is journaled between the upper ends oftheend bars, and a lower carrier roll 7 is journaled in sustaining arms 8, 8 mounted on the inner sides of the end bars; near their lower ends as shown in Fig. l, an endless carrier-belt. 9

passing around said rolls so as to cooperate with the lower carrier apron 2 in elevating ythe grain delivered between the two aprons by the platform conveyer.

In accordance with my invention the arms 8 are in the form of plates provided each with an upper slot l0 and a lower slot 1l extending longitudinally of the arm, the upper ends of the arms being extended laterally inward `in the form of lips 12, the upper surfaces ofwhich are fiat for the purpose presently to be described. These arms are mounted on the respective end bars 5a in such manner that they may swing transversely to and from the lower grain carrier, and may also move endwise relatively `to the frame. To effect this mounting of the aij'ms,vpivot bolts 13 are applied to the end bars 5"C1 and are extended through the upper slots in the arms, the effect of whichisto pivotally connect the arms between their ends with the elevator frame, while permitting said arms to move endwise relatively thereto. Attheir lower ends the arms are formed with bearing openings in which journals lil on the opposite ends ofthe roll 7 are loosely mounted, so that in the endwise and pivotal ,motions of the arms `the carrier roll 7 will be moved respectively to and from the upper carrier roll 6 and will move also to and from the lower grain carrier in the manner to be more fully described hereinafter. Extending in the lower slots 11 of the arms are studs 15 having fixed to their outer ends sockets 16 which sockets extend inhousings 17 fixed tothe end bars 5a and formed with opposing guiding walls 18 extending transversely of the end bars, between which walls the stud 15 is guided. Spiral springs -19 are seated in the guiding housings, one end of the springs bearing against the sockets 16 on the studs,.and the other ends bearing against the ends of 'the housings, the said springs tending to hold the studs in theopposite ends ofthe housings, maintaining the arms S and consequently the carrier roll 7 yieldingly in operative relation to the lower grain carrier to properly coperate with the same in elevating the grain.

It will be understood from the foregoing construction that the lower carrier roll 7 is held yieldingly by the springs 19 so as to maintain the lower portion of the carrier apron `in proper relation to the lower grain carrier, so that in the eventofthe clogging ofthe grain entering between the upper and lower aprons, the lower portion of the upper carrier apron may yield and move away from the lower apron to permit the grain to pass without interruption in the conveying operation.

rlhe endwise movements of the arms to .move ythe roll 7 to and from fthe upper vroll in suitable bearing openings V23 in :the end bars, 'and vbetween these journals ,the slnrft is formed with ya crank ,portion '24; -which Vis adapted when thessha'vft is K'rocked 1in its ibearings to-engage the upper Vflat surfaces 12 on the arms, the journal 22 'being extended -out- ,maintain'the apron 9 under tension.

Vthe position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5, the .crank 241V will be projected downwardly and engaging the lips on the upper ends of the Varms the latter will be held in theirlower positions with the roll 7 sustained so as to Then now the rock shaft is turned a half revolution, the crank will'be -swungaround to its upper position as shown .in Fig. 3, vwhich action `will release the arms and will relieve theItension on the apron.

In the use ofthis mechanism to properly tension the apron when the rlatter has become looseon the carrier rolls, the handle 25 is turned from its upper Vposition .as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 5 downwardly `to the dotted lineposition indicated in Fig. 3, by which action the crank will be disengagedfromthe ends of the arms andthelatter will then be free to move upwardly endwise as sho-wnin Fig. 3. In this position of the parts, .the slack in the belt may be taken up, usually by means of buckles on the ends, whereupon the handle 25 kbeing turned back again to its former position the crank will act on the upper'ends ofthe arms and shift :the same endwise to their lower position, ythereby moving the carrier roll 7 downwardly away from the upper carrier roll and placingy the apron under tension. The handle of the rock shaft is releasably locked in position by suitable means, inthe present instance by a spring actuated latch 26 mounted to move endwise in the end'bar of the frame andprovided on its outer end. with a hook to embrace the handle.

From the construction described it will be understood that when the roel' shaft is in position to hold the arms in their lower positiomthe arms will be free to swing on their pivotal axes, the flat surfaces 12 on the upper ends of the arms sliding'beneathzand in engagement with the crank as the arms swing on their axes.

1t will be observed that in my construction, the sustaining arms carrying the carrier roll 7 .are piv-otally mounted between their ends on the elevator frame and that the arms are wholly disconnected from lthe actuating member 20, the crank portion of the actuating member bearing against #the flaty surfaces 12 on the upper ends of the arms. This permits the armste move freely on itheir axes without interference by the actuating member, in which movements lthe upper ends of the arms will moverelatively :to the crank portion ofthe actuating member, being fthereby subject to the holding action of the vcrank in maintaining the belt under proper tension, while permittingfthe lower ico end of :the apron supported on the carrier j In the foregoing description and accompanying drawings I have disclosed my in vention in the particular detailed form which I prefer to adopt, but it will be mani fest that these details may be variously changed and modified without departing from the limits of the invention; and it will be understood that the invention is not limited to any particular form or construction of the parts except in so far as such limitations are specified in the claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. In a harvester, the combination of a lower grain carrier, an upper elevator frame, an upper carrier roll mounted in said frame, arms pivotally mounted between their ends on the frame and movable endwise in relation thereto, a lower carrier roll journaled in said arms below their pivotal axes, an endless carrier apron supported by said rolls, and an actuating member mounted in the frame and adapted to engage the arms and move them endwise to carry the lower roll away from the upper roll, said arms being disconnected from the actuating member to enable them to rock on their axes to permit the lower roll to move to and from the lower grain carrier.

2. In a harvester, thecombination of a lower grain carrier, an upper elevator frame, an upper carrier roll mounted in said frame, a lower carrier roll also mounted in the f ame and movalilebodily to and from the lower grain carrier and also to and from the upper carrier roll, an actuating member to control said last mentioned movement of the lower roll, a spring sustained by the frame and acting to urge said lower carrier roll toward the .lower grain carrier, and an endless carrier apron passing around said rolls.

3. In a harvester, the combination of a lower grain carrier, an upper elevator frame, an upper carrier roll mounted in said frame, arms pivotally mounted between their ends on the said frame and movable endwise relatively to the same, a lower carrier roll jour-` the arms to permit the lower carrier roll to move to and from the lower grain carrier.

4. In a harvester, the combination of a lower grain carrier, an upper elevator frame, an upper carrier roll mounted in the elevator frame, arms pivotally mounted in the frame to move to and from the lower grain carrier, the said arms being movable also endwise relatively to the frame, a lower carrier roll journaled in said arms, an endless carrier apron supported by said rolls, spring actuated members sustained by the frame and engaging said arms to urge them toward the lower grain carrier, and an actuating member sustained by the frame and engaging the arms to move them endwise.

5. In a harvester, the combination of a lower grain carrier, an upper elevator frame, an upper carrier roll mounted in said frame, arms pivotally mounted in said frame to move to and from the lower grain carrier, said arms being movable also endwise relatively to the frame and being provided with longitudinal slots, a lower carrier roll jour;is naled in said arms, an endless carrier apron supported by said rolls, studs mounted on the said frame and movable transversely relatively thereto and engaging in the slots in the arms, springs sustained by the said frame and bearing on the studs to urge the arms toward the lower grain carrier, and an actuating member sustained by the frame and engaging said arms to move the same endwise.

6. In a harvester, the combination of a lower grain carrier, an upper elevator frame, an upper carrier roll mounted in said frame, two arms provided each with upper and vlower slots extending longitudinally thereof,

iixedpivot bolts sustained by the frame and extending in the upper slots, whereby the arms are pivotally sustained and movable endwise relatively to the frame, spring actuated studs mounted on the frame and movable transversely thereof and extending in the lower slots in the arms, a lower car rier roll journaled in the arms, an endless carrier apron supported by said rolls, and an actuating member mounted on the frame and engaging the arms to move the same endwise.

In testimony whereof, I have afHXed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

VILLIAM H. CRANE.

Witnesses:

WM. J. MERKLE, G. H. MIoHAnLIs.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

` Washington, '.D. C. 

